Dill is one of the most common herbs in North America. It is an annual tall and lacey plant that grows 18-30 inches in height, with fine feathered blue-green leaves and hollow stems. It has small open umbels of creamy-yellow flowers in summer, followed by dark brown seeds.
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Herb – Liquorice
Liquorice, a herbaceous perennial has been cultivated for its sweet aromatic root since the Middle ages. Arab physicians used it as a laxative, and for treating stomach ulcers and bladder and kidney complaints. It has also been used as an infusion given for sore throats and to reduce fever.
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Fresh or dried herbs have been prepared for medicinal purposes for centuries, drawing on the accumulated wisdom and experience of generations of herbalists. Diagnosis and prescription are still best left to a qualified practitioner, although simple remedies can be prepared at home. Homer wrote of healing roots, one of the earliest records of the use of medicinal plants in Europe.
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English monarchs had Strewers of Herbs precede them in processions to scatter dried aromatic herbs such as rosemary, thyme and rue to ward off diseases. The medieval plagues were thought to be caused by foul air. Dried herbs and essential oils were incorporated into pot-pourris, snuff and scented water.
Read the rest of this entry »Steak with Green Peppercorn Sauce
Growing up the only pepper available to us, that we could buy in the local grocery store, was ordinary ground black pepper. Thank goodness times have changes and now we have an unlimited choice of peppercorns. The first delicious meal using green peppercorns, I ever experienced was in a restaurant just outside of Zurich, Switzerland.
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Every mother from anywhere in the world has had to deal with plant stains. We can all attest to the difficulty of removing them from clothing in particular from cotton fabric. Dyeing with herbs has been done by all cultures around the world for centuries.
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